Photographic background



(No Model.)

W. G. ENTREKIN. PHOT OGRAPHIC BACKGROUND.

No. 445,805. Patented Feb. 3,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VIIJLIAM G. ENTREKIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,805, dated February 3, 1891.

Application filed October 21, 1889 Serial No. 327,660 (No model.)

.To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. ENTREKIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Photographic Backgrounds, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a photographic background by the use of which a lithographic background effect maybe produced in the finished picture and the figure brought out with any desired degree of prominence. This object I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view illustrating the character of my improved photographic background and the manner in which it is used, and Fig. 2 is a view of a picture produced by the use of my improved background.

In making many photographs, especially in what is known as celebrity work, the use of ordinary photographic backgrounds is objectionable, as they lessen the importance of i the figure, which in many cases is considered a great defect, as in this class of work what may be termed a lithographic background effect is a dcsideratumthat is to say, a background in monotone, or having only such shading as will not detract from the prominence of the figure, but will tend rather to bring the figure out into stronger relief. My improved background provides for the attainment of such an effect in the finished picture, and said background consists, simply, of a sheet A, of any desired 1naterialfor instance, textile fabric coated with colored sizing, such as is ordinarily employed for window-shades and like purposes. This sheet A is preferably mounted at the upper end upon a bar a, supported in any suitable manner at the proper height above the floor, the lower portion of the sheet being preferably wound upon a roller Z), so that the latter may be rolled out upon the floor of the studio to any required distance in front of the upper supporting-bar a, thus providing a base of any desired dimensions, which will be in one continuous piece with the background, and will curve upward to meet the same, so that there will be no line where the background meets the floor, as in ordinary practice. Hence in the finished pic ture the figure will be brought out upon a background which may be of uniform tone throughout, or may simply have such shading as is desired to give the required lithographic effect in the picture.

Another advantage of my improved background is that even lighting of the same is rendered possible by the facility which is afforded for changing the angle at which it hangs from the upper supporting-bar, and any design which may be formed upon the background for the sake of producing the desired lithographic effect will be clearly and sharply reproduced in the finished picture, owing to the fact that the angle or curve of the background may be so arranged as to bring it wholly within the effective radius of the lens.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut 1. A photographic background consisting of a strip or sheet without pictorial ornamentation, said sheet being curved forward at the base and extending so far forward from the background as to form a floorground upon which the subject may stand, whereby a finished picture may be produced in which there is no meetingline between the background and the floor-ground, substantially as specified.

2. The within-described photographic background, consisting of a suspended flexible sheet without pictorial ornamentation, said sheet being curved forward at the base and extending so far in advance of the background as to form a floor-ground upon which the subject may stand, substantially as specified.

3. The within-described photographic background, consisting of a flexible sheet suspended from a bar at its upper end and having a surplus portion wound upon a roller at the lower end, so that it can be readily extended to form a fioor'ground projecting to a greater or less extent in advance of the hanging portion or background, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VM. G. ENTREKIN.

\Vitnesses:

R. SCHLEICHER, HARRY SMITH. 

